When reading data from optical recording media, in particular from so-called compact discs (CDs), to achieve as high a quality as possible of the signal generated by the opto-electric receiver an optimum setting of the power of the laser is required. U.S. Pat. No. 4,698,797, Komatsky, discloses a CD reading device in which the information signal reflected from the CD and received by the reading device is evaluated by a controlling circuit. In this case, the controlling circuit controls the output power of a laser diode, acting as transmitter, in such a way that the level of the received information signal is kept at a constant value, corresponding to a predetermined, fixed reference voltage. In this case, due to temperature changes, ageing and soiling, a signal of poorer signal-to-noise ratio may be produced, which results in a higher error rate of the read-out data.